Youngstown Penguins resume league play hosting Detroit Mercy Sunday afternoon
Setting the Scene
The Youngstown State men’s basketball team resumes Horizon League play when it hosts Detroit Mercy, Sunday, Dec. 29. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center. The game will be broadcast on 570 WKBN and ESPN+.
Up Next
Youngstown State begins 2025 on the road when it heads to the Hoosier State for a pair of Horizon League games. The Penguins usher in the new year against IU-Indy, Jan. 1 at 12 p.m. before visiting Purdue Fort Wayne, Saturday, Jan. 4, at 7 p.m.
Last Time Out
The Penguins won for the sixth straight time after knocking off USC-Upstate, 72-64, on Dec. 21. Nico Galette reached the 20-point plateau for the fourth time this season with a team-high 20 points against the Spartans. Senior EJ Farmer also reached double figures with 11 points and six rebounds.
Series vs. Detroit Mercy
This is the 59th meeting between Youngstown State and Detroit Mercy in a series dating back to 1953. The Titans own a 40-18 advantage in the all-time series, but the Penguins have won the last six contests. Last season, the Penguins defeated the Titans, 105-64 in Detroit, Mich., and 69-55 in Youngstown. The Penguins own an 11-17 record against the Titans at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center, and have won the last four games played in Youngstown. The Penguins also own a 7-21 record against the Titans in games played in Detroit and an 0-2 mark in neutral site games.
Scouting Detroit Mercy
Detroit Mercy enters the game with an overall record of 5-9 and a 1-2 Horizon League mark. Orlando Lovejoy leads the Titans with 14.1 points per game while Mak Manciel is averaging 13.4 points per contest. The Titans are averaging 69 points per game while allowing 75.1 points per contest.
A Win Would...
- Improve YSU’s record to 9-5 overall and 4-0 in the Horizon League.
- Mark Youngstown State’s first 4-0 start in Horizon League play.
- Mark Ethan Faulkner’s ninth career win and first over Detroit Mercy.
- Mark Youngstown State’s seventh straight victory over the Titans, and the 10th in the last 12 games.
- Be Youngstown State’s 19th victory over Detroit Mercy, and the 12th at Zidian Family Arena at Beeghly Center.
- Mark the fifth straight win over the Titans in Youngstown.
- Give the Penguins a 4-1 home record overall and a 2-0 Horizon League home record.
Against the League
The Penguins have played well in their first three Horizon League games of the season. Youngstown State is averaging 72.7 points per game but is allowing just 59.3 points per league contest. Jason Nelson and EJ Farmer lead the Penguins with 13 points per game each against league foes while Juwan Maxey is averaging 11 points per game. Nico Galette is averaging 10.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while Gabe Dynes is posting 6.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.
Guins Nearing D-I Streak
With a win over Detroit Mercy, the Penguins will tie the program’s Division I win streak record at seven. The mark was set in 1997-98 and tied last season.
Rated PG
Junior point guards Juwan Maxey and Jason Nelson have been a formidable backcourt combination for the Penguins recently. Over the last five games, the duo averaged a combined 22.8 points and 4.2 assists per game. Maxey averaged 11.2 points per contest while Nelson averaged 11.6 points per game.
Fueling The Tank
Youngstown State has really improved on the offensive end over the last six games. The Penguins averaged 85.2 points per game during that span. Youngstown State averaged 9.3 3-pointers made over the last five games.
Guins in the HL
Youngstown State has been on quite a run during league play over the last three-plus seasons. The Penguins own a record of 44-20 in Horizon League play since the start of the 2021-22 campaign. Youngstown State went 12-9 in 2021-22, 15-5 in 2022-23, 14-6 in 2023-24, and is currently 3-0 in 2024-25.
All-Around Galette
Fifth-year senior Nico Galette has been doing a bit of everything for the Penguins. Over the last six games, Galette averaged 14 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game and shot 52.5 percent from the floor.